Pirates' Hurdle remains optimistic about Alvarez

July 02, 2014|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

MLB Team Report - Pittsburgh Pirates - INSIDE PITCH

PITTSBURGH -- Third baseman Pedro Alvarez is in his fifth major league season, but he has yet to become the consistent run-producer the Pittsburgh Pirates thought they were getting when they used the second overall pick in the 2008 draft to select him from Vanderbilt.

However, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle refuses to give up hope that Alvarez can become an elite slugger.

Alvarez is hitting .239 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs in 81 games. The Pirates had every right to expect more after he tied for the National League lead with 36 homers last season and then went deep three more times in the five-game loss to St. Louis in the National League Division Series.

Instead, Hurdle was forced to remove Alvarez from cleanup spot in the batting order because of his erratic production. The last time Alvarez batted fourth was May 22.

Prior to going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Tuesday in Pittsburgh's 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Alvarez had reached bases in nine of his last 14 plate appearances and was hitting .389 (7-for-18) with a double, two home runs and seven RBIs in his last six games.

That wasn't enough to impress Hurdle.

"You take statistics and cherry-pick good and bad," Hurdle said. "If look at whole context, though, it's not what we're looking for. We need him to be consistent. We needed him be a run-producer, to drive in runs and score runs.

"At points, he can be phenomenal, though he hasn't really ran into one of those streaks this season. I don't think he has. I don't think I'm missing one."

--LHP Francisco Liriano will pitch a four-inning simulated game Wednesday. It will mark the first time he will face hitters since going on the disabled list June 11 with a strained left oblique.

--C Russell Martin returned to the lineup Tuesday night after missing the previous two games with a sore left shoulder. He went 1-for-3 as the Pirates rallied for a 3-2 victory over Arizona. Martin has reached base in all 23 home games this season.

--RF Gregory Polanco did not start for the first time since being called up June 10 from Triple-A Indianapolis and making his major league debut. However, he delivered a pinch-hit single during the Pirates' winning three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Polanco went 2-for-16 (.125) in his previous five games.

--2B Neil Walker was dropped from fourth to eighth in the batting order after going 4-for-22 in his first six games after being activated from the disabled list. Walker went 1-for-3 Tuesday, and his leadoff single sparked the ninth-inning rally. He missed 15 days after undergoing an appendectomy.

--1B Ike Davis had his July start off a lot better than June, as he drove in the game-winning run with a pinch-hit single in the bottom the ninth. He hit .183 with one home run in 25 games last month.

--CF Andrew McCutchen moved into first place among National League outfielders in the latest All-Star voting results released Monday. He has played in the last three All-Star Games, all as a reserve.

--RHP Charlie Morton (4-9, 3.41 ERA) starts Wednesday night against Arizona. He has 39 strikeouts in his last five starts, including a career-high 11 last Thursday in a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay. Morton is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA against the Diamondbacks in five career starts.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Every time we're up to bat, there's a chance we do something. It's hard to shut us down for nine. We've done it a lot this year, come back. Anything is possible with us. We knew it was coming up. We started hitting the ball harder every inning and we put a couple runs on the board." -- PH Ike Davis, whose ninth-inning single capped the Pirates' comeback for a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

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MLB Team Report - Pittsburgh Pirates - ROSTER REPORT

MEDICAL WATCH:

--LHP Francisco Liriano (left oblique strain) went on the 15-day disabled list June 11. He played catch June 19, and he threw off a mound for the first time June 26. He threw a 50-pitch side session June 29. He is scheduled to pitch a four-inning simulated July 2.